UK Set To Reject Big Tech Call for Antitrust Appeals Route

UK ministers are poised to reject Big Tech calls for greater scope to appeal against decisions made by the country's antitrust regulator under new digital markets rules, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. From the report: The government plans to use the new Digital Markets Unit within the regulator, the Competition and Market Authority, to apply extra scrutiny to companies such as Alphabet and Meta Platforms, and to curb their dominance. The division is expected to have powers to fine internet firms in a bid to protect consumers, and it may allow smaller companies to access the data held by bigger ones. It could lead to tech companies compensating media outlets for carrying news stories.

Under existing plans, challenges to DMU rulings would only cover whether the CMA followed the correct procedure when making its decisions. But tech companies have lobbied to be able to appeal decisions on a "full merits" basis that would include examining the regulator's assumptions and underlying evidence also. Ministers, however, are set to rebuff the demands of the tech companies, because they are concerned the proposals would make it harder for smaller companies to challenge their bigger rivals, according to the people, who asked not to be named because a final decision hasn't yet been made.

Don't get big

[Registered Coward v2]

Ministers, however, are set to rebuff the demands of the tech companies, because they are concerned the proposals would make it harder for smaller companies to challenge their bigger rivals, according to the people, who asked not to be named because a final decision hasn't yet been made.

And the small companies who get big will then want the rules changed. To protect the children, of course.

The quiet part

[Local ID10T]

You aren't supposed to say the quiet part out loud!

The government plans to use the new Digital Markets Unit within the regulator, the Competition and Market Authority, to apply extra scrutiny to companies such as Alphabet and Meta Platforms, and to curb their dominance.

Regulation should exist to keep everyone playing fair, not to punish winners.

Re:

[Send it to the newts]

The core logic of capitalism has always relied on competition between companies to drive efficiency. Monopolies, by their nature, stifle competition, and are therefore deprecated. Antitrust regulations have the explicit and open purpose of curtailing monopolies; there is no "quiet part".